| You've mastered windows, got to grips with | | | | might be scarce or non-existent and there's |
| games and put paid to your word processor | | | | unlikely to be any sort of dedicated support line. |
| problems. The next challenge is the internet. It's | | | | And if an ISP doesn't offer internet access on a |
| one giant leap for mankind, one small step for | | | | local phone number, forget it. In addition to all this, |
| you. | | | | a decent ISP might offer free web space, multiple |
| How Does it Work? | | | | email addresses, and other goodies like automatic |
| The internet is a massive world wide collection of | | | | filtering of junk email. On the whole, you get what |
| computers, connected together in a huge | | | | you pay for. |
| network. Any type of computer can be | | | | Modems Explained. |
| connected to the network, as long as it speaks | | | | There used to be a time when buying a modem |
| the universal internet language, TCP/IP. | | | | was fraught with worry and technical difficulty. |
| Using a home computer like an Apple Mac or a | | | | Nowadays, it's hard to buy a PC, without a |
| PC, you can become a temporary part of this | | | | modem already fitted. What a modem does is |
| network by signing up with an internet service | | | | enable your PC to exchange data with other |
| provider (ISP). An ISP is a company that has fast, | | | | computers - whether it's your mate's down the |
| direct internet connections, and which can act as | | | | road or a machine on the internet - over the |
| a gateway for you. In return for a monthly or | | | | phone line. But as we all know, the data your PC |
| yearly fee, the ISP enables you to use a modem | | | | produces is digital bits and bytes, and only |
| attached to your computer to dial up and connect | | | | analogue signals can be transmitted over the |
| to its computers, which in turn connect you to | | | | phone line. This means that for the data to get |
| the internet. As a result you can access the world | | | | out of your machine and onto the internet, it |
| wide web, send messages to newsgroups, and | | | | needs to be converted from digital to analogue |
| get an email address that enables you to | | | | and then back again. And that's what a modem |
| exchange email with other users. | | | | does. It modulates the outgoing digital signals |
| Choosing an Internet Service Provider | | | | produced by your PC, turning them into analogue |
| There are more than 150 internet service | | | | ones, then demodulates the incoming analogue |
| providers (ISP's) to choose between, from local | | | | signals to turn them back into a digital one. |
| one man band outfits to global services run by | | | | Now you know, roughly, how a modem works, |
| the likes of UUnet. It's probably best not to opt | | | | you can forget about it, just as you probably |
| for a small, local ISP. Internet access is a cut | | | | don't care how your AWE 64 sound card |
| throat business and the pundits are saying that | | | | produces that 3D surround sound effect. Same |
| the small guys are going to have their work cut | | | | deal with modems. They plug in, they work, they |
| out to avoid going under. | | | | let you connect to the internet, play multi player |
| You're also more likely to get better software, | | | | games, and run up a phone bill the size of Oliver |
| better services and better technical support from | | | | Reed's drinks tab. |
| a large service provider. The major ISP's have | | | | Buying a Modem |
| massive connections to the internet, which means | | | | There are still a few decisions to make when you |
| they can support a very large number of | | | | get to your local modem store. The fastest |
| simultaneous users without grinding to a halt. | | | | modems on the market for home users promise |
| Smaller ISP's may be cheaper, but they actually | | | | download speeds of up to 56Kbps. Did you notice |
| have to lease space from the big providers | | | | the 'up to' because that's the speed achieved by |
| themselves, and don't have nearly as much | | | | these modems under |
| capacity to share around. This means they're | | | | impossible-to-achieve-in-the-real-world laboratory |
| more likely to have problems during busy periods, | | | | conditions. In reality, when line noise, signal quality |
| and they'll almost certainly have fewer modems, | | | | and the phase of the lunar cycle all take their toll, |
| meaning more engaged signals when you dial in at | | | | the maximum realistic download speed you can |
| peak times: a low user-to-modem ratio is vital. | | | | expect to achieve is 41-44Kbps. Oh, and the |
| The large service providers can also afford to | | | | other thing is that because of the smart way |
| maintain bigger, faster computers to handle email, | | | | they work, 56Kbps modems can only download |
| usenet discussion groups, and so on, while small | | | | data at the faster speed, they still have to upload |
| firms might have problems in this area. Finally, | | | | at the slower, but respectable speed of 33Kbps. |
| there's support. A good ISP will supply you with all | | | | If you don't know which brand name to choose, |
| the necessary software to get online. This | | | | just toss a coin, or go for the cheapest, or the |
| software should be easy to setup and use, | | | | one that offers the best after sales support, or |
| backed up by 24 hour help lines if you have a | | | | the longest lead, or the prettiest plug, or the best |
| problem. Again, some smaller ISP's just can't | | | | advert. |
| afford this sort of overhead. Setup software | | | | |